Sammy Baloji : Mémoire


Dilston Grove’s inaugural show, Mémoire by Sammy Baloji, is the Mémoire addresses colonial violence, shattered dreams of independence and the postcolonial political fallout that exists within the Democratic Republic of Congo. A beautifully crafted abstract video, Mémoire is shot in collaboration with the Congolese performance artist Faustin Linyekula. Also on display will be a new body of large-scale photographic work, specifically commissioned by Autograph ABP for the launch of Dilston Grove, which documents the exact site of Patrice Lumumba’s assassination in January 1961.

Sammy Baloji shines a powerful spotlight on contemporary Congolese reality, examining the abuse of power and its legacy and revealing the devastating impact that exploitative cultures have on both society and the environment. His video and photographic work calls for greater awareness of the local consequences of ‘development’ and highlights the rights of local people. Baloji aims to raise social consciousness in the region and beyond, as well as stimulate artistic development in the province of Katanga, long a focus for colonial and postcolonial regimes desperate to exploit the mineral wealth found there.